Remember That Night?

Present Day:

A Saturday night with nothing to do, this was a pretty normal happening for the students of Karakura High School. Karakura was just one of those towns that never really had anything exciting happen to it, except for everything Aizen caused of course. But fighting hollows wasn't exactly on the top of any of their lists of fun things to do. Orihime suggested the movies, but they had seen all the blockbusters lately. Chad was silent, so that didn't help. Rukia wanted to go to Chappy Land, but Ichigo, Chad, Keigo, and Mizuiro all refused. Uryu, oddly, had no objection that he would speak of. Tatsuki didn't even bother asking if they wanted to help her train for her next tournament, since she was the only one who would be willing to work on a weekend. As the not-so-ordinary teenagers continued to discuss what to do, they got the surprise of their lives.

"Hey guys, why don't we go out for Mexican food?" suggested none other than the silent giant, Chad.

Everyone snapped their heads in Chad's direction, dumfounded that he had said that much at one time. Then, Ichigo broke the silence.

"No. No Mexican food. Don't you remember what happened last time?" Ichigo asked.

"Oh yea," interrupted Tatsuki. "That is something I personally do not want to relive."

"What exactly happened?" Rukia butted in.

"Well, Rukia, it all started like this…"

One Mexican Fiesta, Many Years Ago:

A Saturday night with nothing to do (sound familiar). Ichigo, Keigo, Tatsuki, and Chad had all decided to go out for a Mexican dinner, on Chad's suggestion. It seemed like a good idea at the time, and they saw no present danger entering the establishment. Little did the three Japanese students know Chad had invited them because it was Cinco de Mayo. Although Ichigo, Keigo, and Tatsuki would never know, Chad was laughing his head off at what was about to happen to his friends. This would be a night none of them would ever forget.

Chad led his friends to a restaurant called Nacho's. The restaurant was pretty popular, but none of them except Chad had ever been there before. When they walked in, they were immediately greeted by the loud music of a mariachi band. Pretty soon a waiter walked up to them and started talking to Chad in Spanish, so his friends couldn't understand a word they said. Trying to read Chad's blank expression didn't help them either.

"Chad, mi amigo, como estas?" Chad, my friend, how are you?

"Estoy bien, Pablo." I'm well, Pablo.

"Quienes son sus amigos?" Who are you're friends?

"Algunas personas me quería experimentar el Cinco de Mayo." Some people I wanted to experience Cinco de Mayo.

"Ay! Que es tan cruel!" Oh! That's so cruel!

"Tal vez, pero ahora necesitamos una tabla." Maybe, but now we need a table.

"Por supuesto." Of Course.

The waiter led the four teenagers to a table. At first, everything went like a normal dinner. They ate quesadillas with chips and salsa. As the night went on everyone seemed to be having fun. Even Ichigo had cracked a faint smile that night. Then, everything went down the drain, for everyone but Chad, when someone began to yell.

"Cinco de Mayo!"

Ichigo, Tatsuki, and Keigo all looked at Chad, confused. What was about to happen? The answer: a genuine Mexican fiesta.

Only a few minutes later, Chad was playing a bass on the stage while Keigo was dancing around with a sombrero. Ichigo and Tatsuki, oddly enough, had found themselves engaged in a contest to see who could drink the most tequila. Ichigo would down one, and then Tatsuki, and then Ichigo again, and then Tatsuki again, and it went on this way until both of them had passed out.

Present Day:

"Wow, Ichigo. I never thought you were the type to go out and get drunk," Rukia smirked.

"Shut up, midget!" Ichigo yelled. "It's not like we went out intending to pass out like that."

"True."

"Anyway, Chad, I don't think Mexican is gonna happen again any time soon."

"Ichigo," Chad replied.

"Yea, what?"

"Tatsuki told the story to her memory, but you guys obviously don't remember what happened after the tequila contest."

"After the tequila contest?"

"Yea."

"Well! What happened?" Tatsuki said, slightly worried. Keigo started to snicker.

"Well…"

After the Tequila Contest:

Ichigo and Tatsuki stumbled out of the restaurant, laughing their heads off for absolutely no reason. Chad and Keigo followed them out, just in case they got into some sort of trouble. Ichigo had his arm around Tatsuki's shoulder, and they were both stumbling across the sidewalk. Chad and Keigo both wondered where they headed. Chad had wanted to stop them, so they could be put to bed to sleep things off, but Keigo wanted to let things play out. It turned out that they were headed to the park. They kept whispering things into each other's ears, but neither Chad nor Keigo could make out what they had been saying. When they got to the park, Tatsuki tripped and almost fell to the ground. Ichigo caught her wrist just in time to prevent her from hitting the ground. Ichigo then picked Tatsuki up bridal style and carried her over to a bench. He sat down on one of the park benches, and set Tatsuki beside him. Tatsuki leaned onto his shoulder, and kissed him on the cheek. Then Ichigo and Tatsuki both passed out. Chad carried Ichigo and Tatsuki to their respective homes on his shoulders. Thankfully, he had come up with lies for their unconscious states. Ichigo had "gotten into a gang-fight nineteen-to-one and been knocked out before Chad could get there" and Tatsuki had simply passed out from training to hard at the dojo.

Present Day:

Keigo was laughing his head at Ichigo and Tatsuki, who were both blushing profusely. Rukia herself was trying not to laugh too hard, but she was failing. Ichigo sat there cross-legged, with his hand covering his eyes, and his elbow on his knees. Tatsuki, also cross-legged, had crossed her arms, and was sitting motionless with her eyes closed, frowning. Needless to say, telling the story had taken up quite a bit of time, so there was no need to discuss what to do anymore. Not that either Ichigo or Tatsuki wanted to go out anymore, or could even be persuaded to do so.

"Aww, what's the matter lovebirds? Mad that you're secret is out." Keigo said, incessantly poking Ichigo's shoulder.

Ichigo looked up and glared at Keigo before kicking him in the face, sending him flying off into the horizon. After that Ichigo stormed off, heading in direction of the river where his mother had died. Chad began to head home, feeling bad about making his best fried mad. Uryu said something about meeting Inoue. Rukia headed back to the Kurosaki house, deciding it was best not to bother him. Tatsuki, on the other hand, followed behind her child-hood friend.

XXX

Meanwhile, Keigo was finally falling back to the ground. He landed in front of Urahara Shop. Urahara, hearing a crash outside of the door, stepped outside to see his super-speed test subject lying in a crater.

"What did you say to Kurosaki-kun to get him so mad?" was all he had to say.

XXX

Back at the river, Ichigo was sitting on a bench, staring out into nowhere. Tatsuki was sitting beside him on the bench, with her elbows on the back, looking up into the starry, night sky.

"What do you think we said to each other, after the tequila contest?" Tatsuki asked suddenly.

Ichigo blinked at her, surprised by the question. "I don't know. Probably something personal, but not sincere."

"Yea, but isn't it interesting to think about what was said?"

"What do you think was said that night?"

"We probably talked about ourselves as kids at the dojo."

"Yea. Despite being beaten up by you every match, those were pretty good times."

"You know, Ichigo, you should come by the dojo again sometime. I miss havin' you around. Besides, you might actually be a match for me now."

"Nah, I'm no good with technique. I'm a street fighter, remember."

"That's true. Still, come by sometime."

"Kay."

"Ichigo?"

"Yea?"

"Do you miss the dojo?"

"Sometimes."

"Really?"

Ichigo looked down at Tatsuki. She was staring up at him with her eyebrows slightly furrowed, like she was worried about his answer. Ichigo looked back out at the river, and smiled a little.

"Yea, I miss the dojo. But I miss spending time with you more, Tatsuki."

"Do you mean that, Ichigo?"

"Of course. Am I the type of guy to use a pickup line ever?"

"No, I guess not," Tatsuki, laughed. Then she kicked her legs over the arm of the bench, and leaned her back against Ichigo's arm.

"Hey, Tatsuki."

"Ichigo?"

"Instead of me going back to the dojo, why don't we go out somewhere together?"

"Ichigo Kurosaki, are you asking me on a date?"

"Never saw that comin' did you."

"Definitely not."

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"Will you go out with me?"

"Oh right! Of course I will."

Ichigo and Tatsuki got up from the bench, and walked home. They held hands, fingers intertwined. Ichigo dropped Tatsuki off at her house, and continued to walk a few doors down to his own. Just before he got to the door, though, Keigo popped up from seemingly nowhere.

"So you and Tatsuki are in love! Aw, Ichigo that's so cute," Keigo said as he began poking Ichigo again.

Hearing this, Ishiin burst out the door to join Keigo in his annoying pursuits.

"My boy is in love! Oh Masaki, if only you had known taking him to the dojo would lead him to love!"

"Shut up! Both of you!"